ALLERGIES AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
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Dr. Stephen Gangemi ~ Wake County Autism Society ~ February 15, 2003
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
- GALT (Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue)
o (tonsils, appendix, stomach, small intestine, large intestine)
o Account for 50% of immune function
o 1014 "healthy" bacteria - SPLEEN-histamine into histidine
- THYMUS - T Cells, cell-mediated immunity
- WBCs -see below- LYMPH SYSTEM- BONE MARROW - B Cells, humoral immunity, antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, IgE)
- SKIN- first line of defense
STRESSORS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
- Allergies - (Histamine)
- Cortisol - adrenal glands
- Partially hydrogenated "trans" fats - blocking 1 & 3 prostaglandins = Natural killer cells blocked
- Sugar
- Caffeine
- Vaccines
- Infection (viral, bacterial, parasitic)
- Heavy metals- affect WBCs needed to fight off dysbiosis
- Free radical pathology - need for antioxidants
"TOLERANCE"- reducing stress on the body so an allergy is not as troublesome- or to eliminate the allergy altogether
CBC w/ differential: White Blood Cells
("old" normals ~1980 :
used for nutritional evaluation)
| Neutrophil: 56-75% | High - immune Low - Folic/B12 |
| Lymphocyte: 26-40% | High - Folic/B12 Low - immune (thymus), allergies |
| Monocyte: 1-5% | High - Post infection or heavy metal toxicity |
| Eosinophil: 1-4% | High - allergy, over 10% - possible parasitic infection |
| Basophil: 0-1% | High - allergy |
ALLERGIES
- 28% of children and 55% of adults
- Immune response from an antigen
- Sensitivity/Intolerance - no immune response
- 80% of antibodies are the "hidden" IgG type
- .005% are IgE
4 Types of Immune Reactions:
TYPE I
- Immediate hypersensitivity
- IgE antibodies
- Rapid, immediate onset, less than 2 hours
- Anaphylactic Type (bee stings)
- Skin testing - "scratch test"
- Histamine and other chemicals released from mast cells
- Half-life of 1-2 days
- Most often permanent
TYPE II
- Cytotoxic response
- IgG antibodies (also IgM & IgA-gut)
- Cell damage
- Slow onset
- IgG half life 21 days
TYPE III
- Immune Complex Mediated
- IgG and immune complexes
- Broken down by liver and spleen
- Tissue damage
- Inflammation
- Autoimmune diseases
- Delayed reactions - hours to days
- IgG half life 21 days
TYPE IV
- T-Cell Dependent
- No antibodies
- Inflammation 36-72 hours later
- TB Test (example)
Symptoms of Allergies
| Gastrointestinal: | diarrhea, gas, constipation, ulcers, weight gain or loss, failure to thrive (children), loss of appetite, infantile colic, celiac disease, IBS |
| Musculoskeletal: | joint pain, arthritis, bursitis, back or neck pain |
| Immune: | rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, chronic infections & colds |
| Neurologic: | headaches (especially migraine), fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression |
| Respiratory: | asthma, including exercise induced asthma, sinusitis, post-nasal drip, ear infections, coughing, sneezing (especially in series - "I sneeze 5 times every morning.") |
| Dermatological: | acne, canker sores, itching, rashes, eczema, dermatitis |
| Other: | pulse speeding up after a meal (an increase of about 10 beats per minute-Coca Test), frequent yawning, groggy, trouble concentrating, ADD, ADHD, autism, watery nose or eyes, weak thighs or knees especially after eating, "seasonal allergies"- (Most all persons with seasonal allergies have some type of food allergy.) |
Diagnosis
- History
- Elimination
- Laboratory Testing - allergies, not intolerances
Blood for IgE and IgG
Saliva for some IgA (casein, soy, egg, gluten) - Neurological Muscle Testing
Most Common Food Allergens
- dairy (cow)
- wheat
- gluten (wheat, rye, oat, barley)
- nuts
- corn
- soy
- egg
- citrus
- nightshades (tomato, potato, bell pepper, paprika, eggplant, tobacco)
Other Effects of Allergies on the Body
- Increase of cortisol - from the adrenal glands
- Decrease of SIgA - the immune barrier of the gut (this may be increased during an active state of allergic reaction)
- Liver detoxification - Methylation (B12, B6, folate, betaine,
choline)
- Spleen - converts histamine into histidine (B6 and folate)
NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
FOLIC ACID
Active form of folic acid is 5-Methyl Tetra Hydro
Folate (5-MTHF)
- Folic acid - Methylene Tetra Hydro Folate -5MTH (activated folic acid)
- 25-30% can't do well (B12, Manganese, Lipoic, P5P)
- 10-15% can't do it at all
VITAMIN B6
Active form is pyroxidal-5-phosphate (P5P)
- Magnesium, Zinc, Phosphorus, B2 (Riboflavin)
Spleen & Thymus tissue (bovine)
Vitamin A
NATURAL ANTI-HISTAMINES
QUERCETIN
- Natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory
o Apple and onion peels, teas, berries, nuts & seeds
VITAMIN C
- Inhibits mast cell release of histamine
o Buffered or ascorbic acid?
Chemical Sensitivities
Aldehydes and
Sulfites
Aldehydes (perfumes, paints, carpet) ** Yeast -dysbiosis
- Plants to help quicken aldehyde release: golden pathos, spider plant, elephant ear, and lacy tree philodendrons
- Acid aldehyde broken down into acetic acid in the liver
o Riboflavin, niacinamide, molybdenum, iron necessary
- Sulfites (dried fruit, salad bars, wine)
- Converted into a sulfate by Mo (Molybdenum)
Selenium, vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), other antioxidants also necessary
